The Devil’s Cage

What was Ryan good at?

Killing!

That was an undeniable answer.

As the leader of Naveya’s biggest killer organization, Emerald Rock, Ryan was known as the “king of killers” by all since the beginning.

Especially after the previous battle with Wealth Temple, the title of “king of killers” would only be more solid than ever.

Those who had doubts about him would be quiet from now on unless they wanted to have a taste of the power that rivaled a hundred men at once.

Any sane man with a functioning brain wouldn’t dare to even try.

With his strength, if he really made a move against the Wealth Temple priests and deacons…

None of them would survive!

And if Kieran’s follow up assault on Wealth Temple lured out the archpriest and officiant, it would be even better. With Thorn Temple’s cooperation, it would be enough to kill all of the Wealth Temple bastards!

The archpriest and officiant seemed to have understood the meaning almost instantaneously, they smiled.

The younger officiant slightly went out of his identity and pat Kieran’s shoulder, he didn’t care if the action didn’t fit his identity.

In the officiant’s perspective, nothing was more exciting than halving Wealth Temple’s strength.

Even if it meant killing their priests and deacons, it would be worth it.

As for being criticized for his despicable and ruthless means?

It didn’t really matter to him.

No matter what means he took to destroy Wealth Temple, as long as his goals were met, it will be good enough and praiseworthy.

“Ryan, you can strike down Wealth Temple but don’t harm the common believers of Lady Wealth.”

The archpriest seemed to have more thoughts about the plan as he voiced out his reminder for Kieran.

“I can’t strike down the common believers? I was going to wipe out all of Lady Wealth believers in Naveya though.” Kieran raised a brow and spoke like he was joking.

The elderly Priest Einderson felt cold in his heart when he saw Kieran in that manner.

Since Priest Einderson hadn’t spent enough time with Kieran, he took Kieran seriously when he seemingly joked about wiping out all of the believers. Such a joke would seem harmless by others but when it came from Kieran, it really brought him chills because others might take it as a joke but when it was uttered by the “king of killers”, it meant the loss of countless lives.

The archpriest admired Kieran’s attitude.

“You can’t touch the common believers, that is an unspoken rule between temples but the others…”

“Kill away!” Kieran finished the officiant’s sentence for him.

Fuuu!

The moment Kieran’s words escaped his mouth, a cold wind blew across the grand hall.

The whistle from the cold wind sounded like the wails of a vengeful spirit, striking chills without the actual cold.

Priest Einderson couldn’t help but shiver while the officiant smiled.

Kieran looked more favorable than ever in the officiant’s eyes at the moment.

“Very good! Ryan, go do what you have to do! I will stand behind you!” The officiant said loudly.

The officiant expressed his stand in the situation without holding back. It made the archpriest frown, he wanted to say something but ultimately chose to keep quiet.

After a more elaborate discussion, Kieran boarded the wagon that he came in and left Thorn Temple.

Looking at the wagon, the officiant was full of smiles while the archpriest frowned.

“Barrion, we shouldn’t…”

“Shouldn’t what? What we shouldn’t do is being done by the other temples and we are deemed as a deviant by them because we abide the ancient rules! The fall of Lady Vanessa’s divinity allowed a clown-like woman to rise over her head! Besides, they are being forceful in everything and still trying to take more from us!”

“I can’t stand it anymore. I can endure my own sufferings but I can’t stand Lady Vanessa being insulted. Anyone who insulted Lady Vanessa in the past, the present and the future, I will make them pay with blood and with their blood, I shall wash the insults away! Even if the foe is a God, I will drag them down from their altar!”

Officiant Barrion interrupted the archpriest and said with a sonorous tone.

The words sounded loud and powerful as it echoed in the archpriest’s ears. While standing under the grand hall’s lighting, the lively glimmering face of his old friend made the archpriest feel like it was the first time he truly came to know Barrion.

The archpriest stared at the officiant.

Officiant Barrion didn’t want to move, hence both of them stared at each other’s eyes for over ten seconds.

Then, the archpriest smiled.

“Old friend, you became the officiant ten years ago. Throughout these ten years, you’ve abided by the rules obediently and maintained a sturdy manner while you helped me settle matters in a neat manner. But now, it seems like the reason why you are playing along with me is due to this old geezer’s face!”

The archpriest said as he turned around and looked at the statue of Lady Vanessa.

“Not only you, but Lady Vanessa as well!”

“Oh merciful lady, you couldn’t bear the embarrassment of this poor old man? How can my poor old pride be more important than Lady Vanessa’s?”

The archpriest sighed.

His aged face started to look stern and unyielding like never before.

“Sirontu, you…” Officiant Barrion was stunned.

“It’s time we change too! We who have abided the rules obediently have paid the cost with blood. Now, change is imminent! It might come with many difficulties but what are difficulties to us who see hardships as the tests of fate? It’s only now that I realized I had forgotten the commandment of Thorn!”

Archpriest Sirontu paused as he looked at Officiant Barrion.

Both who were friends for a long time spoke almost together, “The hardship of fate is like the brambles spread over our lives, but we shall slice down the brambles in our way!”

Their voices were sonorous and sounded they were moving forward with an indomitable will.

There was not much of a frantic look on their face but there was persistence that one could not neglect!

The persistence was the only one they had after giving up other things!

Such persistence might be scary because with that motivating them, they would achieve their goals by any means necessary!

Such men were known as heroes among commoners but for the churches and temples, people addressed them in a more respectful term.

Martyrs!

…

As the archpriest and officiant of Thorn Temple, their beliefs in Lady Thorn were unquestionable.

Therefore, Lady Thorn was willing to place her leisurely gaze on the two of them, she witnessed everything.

She saw how her believers had changed and unbeknownst to her, such changes were affecting her as well. Even though it might be a slow process, it was already happening.

…

Inside a space of emptiness and chaos, Tiki who was lying down before a big door slowly opened its eyes.

“Damn I’m tired… That little brat suspected me of pocketing his stuff? What in the hell…”

Tiki gave a long breath while uttering its rants.

But suddenly, Tiki laughed as though it realized something.

A cunning and nefarious smile was hanging over its fat cat face.

“I’ve told you before, this cat doesn’t hold grudges, because I take my revenge right away!”

Its laugh sounded extra terrifying inside the chaotic space that was filled with countless bodies.

Tiki completely lost its self-control when it thought about the happy times, it couldn’t hold back its urge to roll back and forth on the floor and even revealed its wiggling stomach.

However, the happy times were always short. When Tiki noticed the commotion further away, it flipped itself up and put its fat tummy away.

“Again? It’s even faster than I predicted! You really think I am the easiest one for you to break through?”

Tiki frowned but the furrowed brows were soon replaced by a vicious look.

It raised its paw and extended its sharp claws from its meaty fingers.

Slash!

KABOOM!

A thousand-meter energy wave, enough to even tear apart the sky, sliced the empty chaotic space before it in half.

The empty and chaotic space was originally unstable and with the slash, it instantly stirred up a violent and rampant energy stream.

Further away, an army in the millions was turned into dust under the rampant energy stream the moment they appeared.

After it sensed the commotion was gone, Tiki yawned lazily; it laid back down on the floor and closed it eyes while wagging its tail.

“This floor is so hard.”

“I really miss my cat bed.”

“Damn it, I want dried fish snacks! And fried silver wine skewers!”

“Motherf*cker, how long do I have to be here?”

“I want to head back to East Coast!”

“Did anyone find my recipe book? I thought I left it in a reachable place?”

Mutters that sounded like sleep talks appeared in the wilderness.